Wrexham AFC have a strong Colchester United connection

And there will be plenty of familiar former U’s faces on show when the two sides do battle at the Stok Racecourse.

Wrexham are flying in League Two this season, under the watchful eye of their high-profile actor owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

And the man who led them to the Football League after a 15-year absence is still regarded by many as Colchester’s greatest-ever manager.

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Phil Parkinson led the U’s to a memorable promotion in the 2005-06 season, guiding to English football’s second tier for the first time in their history.

The day that Colchester went up from League One following a 0-0 draw against Yeovil Town at Huish Park is etched in the memories of U’s supporters, more than 17 years on.

Colchester was Parkinson’s first managerial job, after he took over in the hot seat from Steve Whitton at Layer Road in 2003.

And after spending more than three years with Colchester and guiding them to a historic promotion to the second tier, Parkinson says he will also have an affiliation with the U’s.

Speaking to the Gazette in 2019, he said: “Colchester will always have a place in my heart, without doubt.

“I’ll never, ever forget my time there.

“The stats of a young manager coming into a first job and not doing well and never being seen again on the managerial scene are pretty high, so it was so important for me personally to have that great grounding at such a fantastic club like Colchester.

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“It helped me to learn my trade with good people around me helping me as well.

“I look back on that period so fondly and with so many fantastic memories.

“I loved living in the area and loved the atmosphere of Layer Road.

“Some of the games were memorable too, like the Yeovil one to get promoted – we’ll never, ever forget those days.”

Soon after leading the U’s to promotion, he left to take over at Hull City and has also managed Charlton Athletic, Bradford City, Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland, since leaving Layer Road.

The 56-year-old took over at Wrexham in the summer of 2021 and has been a big success in North Wales, leading them to promotion from the National League last season and now a promotion push, in League Two.

Parkinson is assisted at Colchester by his goalkeeper coach Aidan Davison, another popular figure at the U’s during his time there as both a keeper and coach.

Davison was signed by Parkinson for the U’s in the summer of 2004 and spent four seasons at the club, helping them win promotion to the Championship before moving onto a coaching role in the United States.

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Davison, who made more than 350 senior league appearances in a 20-year playing career, spent time in America with FC Jax Destroyers, FC Arizona and Sporting Arizona and was also a goalkeeper coach for Indian Super League sides Pune FC and Hyderabad FC before returning to take up his current role at Wrexham in June, 2022.

It is not just on the coaching staff at Wrexham that there are Colchester United links.

Elliot Lee, who had spells at the U’s in both the 2013-14 and 2015-16 season on loan from West Ham United, has been in prolific scoring form for the Reds so far, this season.

Lee has scored 11 times to date, making him the fourth-highest goalscorer in the division.

Lee played his part in Wrexham’s promotion from the National League last season as did defender Ben Tozer, who has been a regular since Parkinson took over.

Tozer, 33, who has clocked up more than 100 league appearances for the Reds, had a short loan spell at Colchester in the 2013-14 season.